Spider Plants

I divided my nice spider several months ago. The outer leaves of the transplant hung down and continue to do so. The center stands upright like it should. It's in a sunny window but hasn't seemed to "bounce back" as I expected. If no suggestions I think I'll save one of it's babies and pitch the original. Course the winter overcast skies don't help him. =(

Hi
Is the pot size good ? Is your plant getting humidity and plenty of light ?
Maybe the heat in your home is too warm ?
Spider plant growing here in Florida is so easy we can grow them year round out in pots or in the ground .
I fount this great link for you. Hope it can help.
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/spiderplant.htm
Do you have a picture of your plant ?

My first thought is pot size as well. (But I'm basically guessing.) Most times when you divide a plant, it goes from a pot packed full of roots to one that has lots of space for roots to grow. A pot full of roots drinks a lot of water. In contrast, a pot that is only partly full of roots is going to use water less. It's easy to forget to adjust the watering for a while until the root system catches up.

As the leaves in the middle look healthy, I would give it until mid-spring and see how it does when the growing season comes around.

Maybe it is just "sulking". I bring my spaths into the house in the winter instead of putting them in the GH and they sulk all winter long. Hope your spider perks up. Keep us informed. LIZ

i recently planted some cuttings i rooted. and the plant was limp for 2 weeks (figured i killed it), until yesterday it started to perk up. i figured it was in shock or something from replanting it, and so much soil, hardly any root yet. i'm posting pictures in my journal on here and plan to retake pics each month on plants, each week on my cuttings trying to root. my journal: http://davesgarden.com/journal/j/sj/sjonesartist/0/
stephanie

The pot apears to be too large so the plant will have to struggle . You will have to be very carful watering as you have too much soil and not enough roots for them to drink . This can cause rot. Better to start in small pots and work up one size at a time. If you don't pot down be real careful not to over water.

Hmmm...you've all had wonderful ideas to brainstorm here! I think perhaps when I divided and put it back in the same pot I didn't give consideration to the fact that it had less roots. But I water when the top of the soil feels dry. Not to often though. And no...not as much sun as it likes because we've had a gloomy winter here in Texas.

I will try to post a picture later this weekend and will add it to my opening comment above.

I was wondering if I could snip off the leaves that look sad around it's perimeter or if this would just continue to damage the plant?

I would be extra careful on the watering--even if the top seems dry, underneath it could still be very wet since there aren't as many roots to take up the moisture. The top can sometimes dry out a little just from evaporation (rather than the plant using up the water), and then you think it needs water, but if you stick your finger down an inch or two you'll feel that it's still very wet because the roots haven't taken up all the moisture yet. You shouldn't water unless it's also dry when you stick your finger down a couple inches into the soil. The easiest thing to do though would be put it into a smaller pot like Allison suggested, you'll reduce the chances of overwatering that way.

Yes and it will grow faster then too then when it gets pot bound you can trans-plant it again. Also if you lift the pot if it's light and stick the finger in dry then water. Use warm water not cold. They like to be fed but go easy on it until it gets a good root system.
Trimming spent foliage off is good.
Happy Growing !

Do you have the babies in a sunny window? Maybe too much sunlight for the "new little ones"?

My plant doesn't have any babies right now. I divided the plant but threw out the excess. When it did have babies yes I put them in a sunny window and they grew beautifully in their lil' pots.

This is normally a time of rest for all plants, houseplants included. Be patient, if it is growing at all, the roots are growing, not the foliage. That will come with springtime. ... and yes to the overwatering warning. It will bounce back in due time.

Sorry no pics yet. My camera acting up. =( Hoping it will bounce back. But between my moves may have to give her away...can't put in storage!

update on my spiderplant... it seems perkier and has new growth at the center of each sprout.

also, bought 6 spiderplant babies from a girl on ebay. ( i guess you can find anything there) she ended up sending 10 or so instead of 6. despite the cold, they got here, and are doing well. i put them in 2" pots I'll combine them when they have more roots, 3 in one hanging basket, 2 in another.

sjones,

I am interested in ebay. Would you mind telling me how much you paid for the spiders on ebay? Also, how did she package them?

she sells them $3.99 for 3 babies, (and sends 4 or 5 instead--i got lucky i guess), very carefully packed. i ithink she has rooted and potted babies for $4.99. then another $3 or $4 for shipping, and does combine shipping.
here's her link:
http://stores.ebay.com/0-0-Gazebo-Gifts

thank-you!

I found the coolest tool at the local nursery for testing soil moisture level at $15.00. It has been very accurate. I stick the metal bar about half way down into the pot, between the plant and the wall of the pot. Water loving plants I water at 2, dry loving plants not until 1.

How long does it take to register?

It registers immediately. As if the metal tip senses the amnt. of moisture, and the dial turns to the numbers.

Wow, that sounds efficient.

I assume I could leave the moisture meter in a plant for a few weeks if I was really worried about it, or just wanted to see how quickly it dries out, but since I've begun using this, I am not sticking my fingers into the soil anymore, and even though the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry, it may still be very wet at the roots.